All It Takes Is One Person: First-Generation Hmong Women\u27s Educational Experiences

In this dissertation, I examined the educational and life experiences of 13 first-generation Hmong women and how their lived experiences impacted their earlier education experiences as well as their post-secondary educational choices and their children’s educational pathways. Drawing from a qualitative, narrative analysis approach to explore which educational practices support young immigrant women, this study highlights the determination and resilience in first-generation Hmong women’s lives by revealing the oppression and invisibility they faced. Through utilizing a life history approach with 13 Hmong women, this dissertation focused on three first-generation Hmong women’s complete life histories to examine the role schooling, family, and culture have played in achieving academic success. This dissertation advances three main arguments: 1) the construct of intersectionality is useful for examining first-generation Hmong women\u27s complex identities, their wellbeing, and educational trajectories; 2) the model minority myth (MMM) was experienced by these women in schools, and their gender further exacerbated the educational challenges they faced; and 3) patriarchal aspects of some Hmong cultural values and practices have created a feeling of oppression and the need to prove one’s worth for some Hmong women. As such, this study reveals the struggles these first-generation Hmong women encountered, the lack of support they received educationally and culturally, the significant educational and life achievements they created for themselves by drawing on communal and individual sources of encouragement, and the power of teachers and educational systems to either support or hinder wellbeing for young immigrant women

Acute Hypercapnia/Ischemia Alters the Esterification of Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid Epoxide Metabolites in Rat Brain Neutral Lipids.

In the brain, approximately 90% of oxylipins are esterified to lipids. However, the significance of this esterification process is not known. In the present study, we (1) validated an aminopropyl solid phase extraction (SPE) method for separating esterified lipids using 100 and 500 mg columns and (2) applied the method to quantify the distribution of esterified oxylipins within phospholipids (PL) and neutral lipids (NL) (i.e. triacylglycerol and cholesteryl ester) in rats subjected to head-focused microwave fixation (controls) or CO2 -induced hypercapnia/ischemia. We hypothesized that oxylipin esterification into these lipid pools will be altered following CO2 -induced hypercapnia/ischemia. Lipids were extracted from control (n = 8) and CO2 -asphyxiated (n = 8) rat brains and separated on aminopropyl cartridges to yield PL and NL. The separated lipid fractions were hydrolyzed, purified with hydrophobic-lipophilic-balanced SPE columns, and analyzed with ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Method validation showed that the 500 mg (vs 100 mg) aminopropyl columns yielded acceptable separation and recovery of esterified fatty acid epoxides but not other oxylipins. Two epoxides of arachidonic acid (ARA) were significantly increased, and three epoxides of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were significantly decreased in brain NL of CO2 -asphyxiated rats compared to controls subjected to head-focused microwave fixation. PL-bound fatty acid epoxides were highly variable and did not differ significantly between the groups. This study demonstrates that hypercapnia/ischemia alters the concentration of ARA and DHA epoxides within NL, reflecting an active turnover process regulating brain fatty acid epoxide concentrations

Rubidium Fluoride Post-Deposition Treatment: Impact on the Chemical Structure of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Surface and CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Interface in Thin-Film Solar Cells.

We present a detailed characterization of the chemical structure of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film surface and the CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface, both with and without a RbF post-deposition treatment (RbF-PDT). For this purpose, X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopy, as well as synchrotron-based soft X-ray emission spectroscopy have been employed. Although some similarities with the reported impacts of light-element alkali PDT (i.e., NaF- and KF-PDT) are found, we observe some distinct differences, which might be the reason for the further improved conversion efficiency with heavy-element alkali PDT. In particular, we find that the RbF-PDT reduces, but not fully removes, the copper content at the absorber surface and does not induce a significant change in the Ga/(Ga + In) ratio. Additionally, we observe an increased amount of indium and gallium oxides at the surface of the treated absorber. These oxides are partly (in the case of indium) and completely (in the case of gallium) removed from the CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface by the chemical bath deposition of the CdS buffer

Research Fellows Conference Panel on Subordinate Actors and Their Marginalization in Social Theory

Also CSST Working Paper #28.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/51159/1/391.pd

Novel microRNAs modulating ecto-5′-nucleotidase expression

IntroductionThe expression of immune checkpoint molecules (ICMs) by cancer cells is known to counteract tumor-reactive immune responses, thereby promoting tumor immune escape. For example, upregulated expression of ecto-5′-nucleotidase (NT5E), also designated as CD73, increases extracellular levels of immunosuppressive adenosine, which inhibits tumor attack by activated T cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Thus, the binding of miRNAs to the 3′-untranslated region of target mRNAs either blocks translation or induces degradation of the targeted mRNA. Cancer cells often exhibit aberrant miRNA expression profiles; hence, tumor-derived miRNAs have been used as biomarkers for early tumor detection.MethodsIn this study, we screened a human miRNA library and identified miRNAs affecting the expression of ICMs NT5E, ENTPD1, and CD274 in the human tumor cell lines SK-Mel-28 (melanoma) and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer). Thereby, a set of potential tumor-suppressor miRNAs that decreased ICM expression in these cell lines was defined. Notably, this study also introduces a group of potential oncogenic miRNAs that cause increased ICM expression and presents the possible underlying mechanisms. The results of high-throughput screening of miRNAs affecting NT5E expression were validated in vitro in 12 cell lines of various tumor entities.ResultsAs result, miR-1285-5p, miR-155-5p, and miR-3134 were found to be the most potent inhibitors of NT5E expression, while miR-134-3p, miR-6859-3p, miR-6514-3p, and miR-224-3p were identified as miRNAs that strongly enhanced NT5E expression levels.DiscussionThe miRNAs identified might have clinical relevance as potential therapeutic agents and biomarkers or therapeutic targets, respectively

CHANG-ES XI: Circular Polarization in the Cores of Nearby Galaxies

We detect 5 galaxies in the CHANG-ES (Continuum Halos in Nearby Galaxies -- an EVLA Survey) sample that show circular polarization (CP) at L-band in our high resolution data sets. Two of the galaxies (NGC~4388 and NGC~4845) show strong Stokes $V/I\,\equiv\,m_C\,\sim\,2$\%, two (NGC~660 and NGC~3628) have values of $m_C\sim \,0.3$\%, and NGC~3079 is a marginal detection at $m_C\sim \,0.2$\%. The two strongest $m_C$ galaxies also have the most luminous X-ray cores and the strongest internal absorption in X-rays. We have expanded on our previous Faraday conversion interpretation and analysis and provide analytical expressions for the expected $V$ signal for a general case in which the cosmic ray electron energy spectral index can take on any value. We provide examples as to how such expressions could be used to estimate magnetic field strengths and the lower energy cutoff for CR electrons. Four out of our detections are {\it resolved}, showing unique structures, including a {\it jet} in NGC~4388 and a CP `conversion disk' in NGC~4845. The conversion disk is inclined to the galactic disk but is perpendicular to a possible outflow direction. Such CP structures have never before been seen in any galaxy to our knowledge. None of the galaxy cores show linear polarization at L-band. Thus CP may provide a unique probe of physical conditions deep into radio AGNs.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures, accepted to MNRA

Metabolic Responses of Normal Rat Kidneys to a High Salt Intake.

In this study, novel methods were developed, which allowed continuous (24/7) measurement of arterial blood pressure and renal blood flow in freely moving rats and the intermittent collection of arterial and renal venous blood to estimate kidney metabolic fluxes of O2 and metabolites. Specifically, the study determined the effects of a high salt (HS; 4.0% NaCl) diet upon whole kidney O2 consumption and arterial and renal venous plasma metabolomic profiles of normal Sprague–Dawley rats. A separate group of rats was studied to determine changes in the cortex and outer medulla tissue metabolomic and mRNAseq profiles before and following the switch from a 0.4% to 4.0% NaCl diet. In addition, targeted mRNA expression analysis of cortical segments was performed. Significant changes in the metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles occurred with feeding of the HS diet. A progressive increase of kidney O2 consumption was found despite a reduction in expression of most of the mRNA encoding enzymes of TCA cycle. A novel finding was the increased expression of glycolysis-related genes in Cx and isolated proximal tubular segments in response to an HS diet, consistent with increased release of pyruvate and lactate from the kidney to the renal venous blood. Data suggests that aerobic glycolysis (eg, Warburg effect) may contribute to energy production under these circumstances. The study provides evidence that kidney metabolism responds to an HS diet enabling enhanced energy production while protecting from oxidative stress and injury. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of kidneys of Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high salt diet

Kmt2c mutations enhance HSC self-renewal capacity and convey a selective advantage after chemotherapy

The myeloid tumor suppressor KMT2C is recurrently deleted in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), particularly therapy-related MDS/AML (t-MDS/t-AML), as part of larger chromosome 7 deletions. Here, we show that KMT2C deletions convey a selective advantage to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) after chemotherapy treatment that may precipitate t-MDS/t-AML. Kmt2c deletions markedly enhance murine HSC self-renewal capacity without altering proliferation rates. Haploid Kmt2c deletions convey a selective advantage only when HSCs are driven into cycle by a strong proliferative stimulus, such as chemotherapy. Cycling Kmt2c-deficient HSCs fail to differentiate appropriately, particularly in response to interleukin-1. Kmt2c deletions mitigate histone methylation/acetylation changes that accrue as HSCs cycle after chemotherapy, and they impair enhancer recruitment during HSC differentiation. These findings help explain why Kmt2c deletions are more common in t-MDS/t-AML than in de novo AML or clonal hematopoiesis: they selectively protect cycling HSCs from differentiation without inducing HSC proliferation themselves

New members of the tomato ERF family show specific expression pattern and diverse DNA-binding capacity to the GCC box element

Four new members of the ERF (ethylene-response factor) family of plant-speci¢c DNA-binding (GCC box) factors were isolated from tomato fruit (LeERF1^4). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that LeERF2 belongs to a new ERF class, characterized by a conserved N-terminal signature sequence. Expression patterns and cis/trans binding a⁄nities di¡ered between the LeERFs. Combining experimental data and modeled three-dimensional analysis, it was shown that binding a⁄nity of the LeERFs was a¡ected by both the variation of nucleotides surrounding the DNA cis-element sequence and the nature of critical amino acid residues within the ERF domain